


Rise From The Ashes

by ForeverDelighted



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Chamiko, F/M, Hate to Love, Saving the World
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2015-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-26 02:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2634791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverDelighted/pseuds/ForeverDelighted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Xiaolin have fallen and only one remains in a world dominated by evil. Kimiko must gather her strength and help take back the world from the Heylins clutches. Chamiko.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flee To Fight Another Day

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N) This takes place after the original series and has nothing to do with Xiaolin Chronicles series. 
> 
> This story will be about Kimiko trying to save the world, all the while trying to avoid being captured by evil. I'm not going to rush the Chamiko relationship, and I'm going to try and make it as realistic as possible. xx Hope you enjoy the story and please let me know what you think. xx
> 
> "There is no shame in strategic retreat if it lets you remain strong enough to go after the enemy later." - Jane Lindskold, The Buried Pyramid.

Fire crackled all around. Bright, smoldering embers flickered through the night sky, setting it ablaze in hot, red and orange hues. Smoke wafted through the strong breeze, the overpowering smell of burning searing through the air.

Down in the middle of the valley, where once had stood a proud ancient temple that had served as a home to generations of peaceful monks, now kneeled a burning skeleton of what it had once been.

A lone figure clad in tattered red robes watched intently from the cliff edge off in the distance, crouching low behind the safety of a jagged boulder.

A gasp escaped the figure as the roof of the temple that had once sheltered many, finally faltered and caved in with a mighty roar that shook through the air, the last battle cry of a defeated warrior refusing to go down quietly. As it fell, it crushed the remaining walls and pillars that had once held the temple tall, reducing the temple to nothing more than smoldering ashes and ruins.

Surrounding the ashes of the fallen temple, the Heylin armies gathered.

Jack's robots crackled and sparked electricity in glee as the self proclaimed boy genius let out an evil maniacal laughter.

Wuya's rock minions chuckled and rumbled, while their Heylin witch rubbed her hands in wicked delight.

Chase's jungle cats remained impassive, watching through fathomless eyes much like their master who stood with his arms crossed, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Not far from him, Hannibal Roy Bean grinned madly, flames dancing in the reflection of his eyes.

With a heavy heart, the figure buried her head into her arms, no longer able to watch the sight of her beloved home being destroyed by her own element. Her hands tightened into fists, her nails digging sharply into her palms.

It was over.

The Heylin had won.

And the Xiaolin… had fallen.

"Kimiko."

A small taloned hand reached out and tentatively placed itself on the girls shoulder. The gesture caused the young japanese girl to look up through her tear filled eyes.

"Kimiko…. we need to go. We can't stay here."

Kimiko shook her head, several rebellious tears trickling down her cheeks. Viciously she wiped them away with her sleeve. She refused to cry! She would not cry! She had to be strong!

"Dojo-"

The sound of painful cries caught her attention, causing Kimko and Dojo to look back down at the temple.

A group of Jungle cats in their human form were hauling three young boys out from the sheet of smoke surrounding the ruins. With no remorse they harshly pushed the boys to the ground, all three falling to their knees in front of the four Heylin warriors.

"No," Kimiko whispered. "They have the guys!"

Instinctively, Kimko jerked forward, ready to leap down to her comrades' aid. Dojo hastily grabbed onto her sash, yanking her back.

"Kimiko! Don't!"

"I have to help them, Dojo!" Kimiko growled, snatching her sash out the dragons claws. "They need me!"

"Kimiko if you down there you'll get captured too!"

"I have to do something!"

What did Dojo want her to do? Nothing? How could she! She was their friend, she couldn't just stand by and watch as they were robbed of their freedom by their enemies!

"They already beat you once today, Kimiko! Now you're injured and outnumbered! You'll be signing your own death certificate if you down there!" Dojo pleaded frantically, darting forward and clutching tightly onto the girls arm for dear life. "Please, Kimko. We need to leave. If we don't leave now then we won't be able to save the guys or my Master Fung!"

_Remember young ones, there is no shame in retreating. Pick your battles wisely and know when your are beaten. If you do, then you shall live to fight another battle with the next dawning sun._

Squeezing her eyes shut as Master Fung's old teachings echoed through her, Kimiko drew in a harsh, quivering breath.

She didn't want to do this. She did **not** want to do this!

But she had no choice.

Dojo was right, she had no chance. If she went down there, consumed by the fires of rage, then she wouldn't stand a chance. Then she too would be captured, and all hope would be lost, not only for her friends… but the entire world!

If she wanted any hope in rescuing her friends and saving the world from being dominated by the forces of darkness, then she had to do the unthinkable… and run.

It was not in her nature to do so. She wanted to stay and fight, to stand by her friends to the bitter end.

Yet, despite every fiber of her being screaming at her to go down there and help them, to save them as they had saved her on so many occasions, she couldn't.

She had to leave.

She had to let her rational side take charge and push back the swelling flames of her anger that would make her act recklessly. Too often her impulsiveness led to trouble and she could not allow herself to be so careless. She had to control her emotions, control her temper, lest it take it over.

The stakes were too high now. One more slip up and it would be over; the Heylin would truly win.

But so along as one Xiaolin remained, then there was a glimmer of hope.

She looked down at the little dragon, saw the fear and pain reflected in his eyes.

He was scared. His beloved Master and friends were captured. The temple that had been his home for centuries was destroyed, reduced to cinder, soot and rubble. He was its Guardian, and he had failed in his duty to protect it, much like Kimiko had.

And now Kimiko was all he had left in the world.

She could not allow herself to fall into the hands of The Heylin.

She had to be free to fight on.

She had to save her friends… and the world.

"Alright, Dojo. Lets go."


	2. True Loyalty

The frosty winds nipped away at Kimiko's skin, lashing her hair around her wildly. Her hands clutched onto Dojo's scaly side tighter as he spiralled higher into the menacing black clouds, narrowly avoiding the snow-capped peak of several treacherous mountains.

Kimiko kept her eyes trained on Dojo's glistening scales, not daring to look down below her. She knew what she would see and couldn't bare to acknowledge it.

Far below her, visible through the patches in the stormy clouds, The Heylin armies were ravaging the lands, turning it into a barren, flaming wasteland of despair. Smoke filled the burning field; crops, farms, and forests set ablaze.

"Evil sure doesn't waste anytime in getting started," Dojo muttered in disgust, watching as the once beautiful green fields that had surrounded his home for miles were singed into char. "Wont be long till The Heylin reach the nearest city."

Kimiko lifted her head at that, a dismay choke caught in her throat.

At mention of ' _city'_ one particular city had flashed in her mind. A thriving capital city brimming with life, bustling with cars and filled with glimmering towering skyscrapers that soared impossibly high up into the sky. A city that stood bravely in the shadow of the highest mountain in all of Japan; the active stratovolcano Mt Fuji.

Tokyo.

The city where her father was right now. Completely unaware of the terrible fate that had just befallen the world.

' _No,'_ Kimiko thought in aghast. ' _No! I can't lose Papa too!'_

Fumbling about in her pocket, Kimiko retrieved her phone, instantly dialing her fathers number. She bit her lip, drumming her fingers against Dojo's back as she anxiously awaited for him to pick up.

" _I'm sorry. We cannot currently connect your call as our services are temporarily down. Please try again la-"_

Kimiko hung up and tried once more, but again the same lifeless voice droned the first message. With a hiss Kimiko flipped her phone shut, resisting the urge to chuck it with all her might.

Scrambling about again in her pocket, she pulled out her PDA, intent on trying to get a hold of her father via the internet. When she did get onto the internet, however, a blank screen came up.

Kimiko frowned and tried accessing it again. This time the screen went yellow, a red dot appearing in the centre, before unfurling into an eerily familiar spiral. The red spiral on a yellow background which was Jack Spicers signature logo.

"No! No! **No!** " Kimiko growled.

Spicer had somehow managed to shut down the internet! She would bet her PDA that he also had something to do with the failing phone networks as well. It seemed as though he was shutting down all means of communication.

No matter how smart he was, doing something as colossal as putting the world on global communication shutdown took time. He must have already taken them down before he and the other Heylin had attacked the temple.

Dashi's ghost only knows what else they had pre-prepared before they had went on the offensive.

"Great!" Kimiko snarled, squeezing her PDA tightly in her hand before thwacking it down hard on Dojo.

"Hey!" Dojo yelped, sounding hurt.

Kimiko looked up at him wide-eyed, realization of what she had just done hitting her.

"I'm sorry, Dojo! I didn't mean to! I was just-"

Angry.

Frustrated.

She had just lost her friends, her home, and now if she didn't do something soon she was going to lose her father as well! She didn't know if she could handle losing him too! The mere thought was sending her into hopeless despair.

She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on the possibility of a future without him.

She had to stay focused and remain calm.

"Dojo," Kimiko said firmly. "I _need_ you to take me to Tokyo."

If she couldn't warn her father through the conventional means of communication then she was going to have to go there and save him herself. She would _not_ allow another loved one to fall into the hands of The Heylin, especially not when this time it was in her power to prevent it.

She didn't want to know what The Heylin would do to her father if they got a hold of him.

As far as The Heylin were concerned, Toshiro Tohomiko was nothing more than a means to an end. He was the father of one of the thorns in their side, and therefore could be used to lure her out and capture her, finally ridding them of the spanner wrenched in their master plans for utter world domination.

At least... that's what they would try.

However, if she didn't get to her father on time, then she knew what choice she would have to make.

She would have to leave him too.

It was tearing her apart having to make these decisions. It felt like she was betraying everyone who had ever stood by her, who had ever cared and loved her. They were always there for her and yet in order to be there for them… she had to leave them? Abandon them to evil?

Not making those tough choices though, would just be her succumbing to her own selfishness.

There were more lives at stake than just her friends and family.

Everyone's loved ones were at risk.

Why should her loved ones be valued above the others?

Wasn't the Xiaolin way to treasure all life? To never hold one life higher than the others?

Of course the guys and her father meant everything to her. They were her world. Her family. She would gladly give up her life to protect them.

But throwing away her life in vain wasn't going to help them, or anyone. If she did surrender herself to The Heylin in order to save her father, then there would be no one left to rescue them, or anyone else.

They would all be at the mercy of evil.

Kimiko had to put aside her selfish desires.

She had to be patient.

She would save the guys.

She _would!_

It was only a matter of time.

She just wished that this raging turmoil of guilt would stop churning inside her. It felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside.

"Please, Dojo."

Dojo looked over his shoulder questioningly. He saw the desperate, yet determined look in Kimiko's eyes and was wise enough not to argue. He nodded and changed course, spinning higher into the clouds.

"Tokyo here we come!"

* * *

It took far longer to reach Tokyo than Kimiko would have liked. Once they reached it, she was relieved to see that the Heylin hadn't arrived yet.

The threatening signs warning of the impending doom heading to the currently peaceful city, however, were already lingering in the air.

The sky was darkening. The winds picking up pace, blowing the greenery more and more ferociously with every passing breath.

The Sumida River seemed unsettled; its normally calm waters which coursed through the city in a tranquil manner, were now far faster and more harsher, large waves smashed and splattered against the bank walls, striking the bridges and buildings on the edge of the waters.

One such building that was being hammered by the rivers growing wrath was her fathers building; Tohomiko Enterprise.

Dojo swiftly landed on the skyscraper. His eyes moved upwards watching as the crackling grey thunder clouds rolled in, devouring the darkening blue sky and casting a dark looming shadow over Tokyo.

There wasn't much time left.

Kimiko threw herself from Dojo's back and darted for the fire exit that lead into the building.

"Dojo stay here and wait for me!" Kimiko shouted over the howling winds.

She twirled, round kicking the door in with a boot to the handle, causing the door to break off from its hinges and crash to the floor with a loud bang!

She ran inside, leaping down the flights of stairs five at a time.

Her fathers building was a labyrinth of sterile white stairs, corridors and rooms. Thankfully, she knew the general layout having spent much of her childhood helping her father with his work.

Once she reached floor forty, Kimiko pushed her away through another door and into a marble floored hallway. Her eyes fleeting glanced at the walls, taking in the sight of the framed photographs of various high up employees hanging on them.

She knew many of the men and women in the photographs, many being old friends of her fathers. Much like her Papa, they too always gave her the privilege of being the first to try out all of their newest gadgets. She was their 'little guinea pig' as they had so endearingly put it.

Skidding around into another corridor, Kimiko finally saw the double mahogany doors that would lead to her father's office.

A rush of excitement raced through her as she drew closer. A grateful smile forming on her lips.

After everything that had happened today, finally something was going right!

The moment she saw him she would dive into his arms, feel the comfort of his warm, protective embrace. It may not solve all the terrible problems overshadowing her, but at least for that short moment everything would be fine. The heavy burden would be lifted, just for a blissful second.

Kimiko pushed open the double doors to her father's office, the hopeful smile on her face growing larger as she stopped in front of the long black table that stretched out to the other end of the room, stopping a few feet short of the window wall overlooking the river.

The room was impressively large. The walls were a dark navy colour, hanging along them was a timeline of photographs of some of the most successful products produced by Tohomiko Enterprise. In the centre of the room, black leather seats surrounded the long table.

Kimiko looked across the room, seeing the back of her father's chair facing her at the end of the table. She could just make out the top of his black hair.

"Dad!" Kimiko called out, a wash of relief evident in her voice.

She had got to him in time.

He was safe.

He was-

Lightning flashed, sending long, frightful shadows stretching out towards the young warrior. Thunder roared as rain pelted down against the windows. The lights flickered, spitting electricity. The emergency lights, which were far duller switched on at the edges of the room, alighting the large office in a dull red light.

The occupier in the chair spun around to face her.

It was as if someone had physically struck her. Kimiko visibly recoiled, taking a bewildered step back as a startled cry spluttered free from her. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, her head shaking in disbelief.

Sitting on the chair with a triumphant smirk on his face… was Chase Young.

"Hello, Dragon of Fire," Chase greeted, his voice rich with mirth.

The sounds of the doors behind her slamming shut with an almighty bang, caused her to jump and instinctively turn around.

The doors to her father's office had been shut by two stoic cat warriors, a zulu warrior and a berserker, who had silently been hiding behind the doors when she had first entered.

They looked at her through cold, unfeeling eyes.

To think they had once been proud warriors.

Now they were nothing more than puppets on strings dangling from Chase's fingers, ready to obey his every whim, want or demand without a flicker of hesitation.

How cruel an existence that must be? To never have any say in their lives. To be simple clogs in Chase's master plans. To be forced to do as he says, when he says and have no say in the matter, whether they liked it or not. They were trapped, forever bound by loyalty that had been forced upon them.

It felt inevitable that Kimiko may be joining them soon.

With a steadying breath, The Dragon of Fire turned around to face Chase.

She didn't like having her back facing the cat warriors, but she would rather it face them than Chase. At least they wouldn't attack unless given a direct order.

"Chase," Kimiko said in a low voice, afraid to speak up in case her voice quivered.

She didn't want to show any fear in front of the enemy. It was difficult for her not too; she always wore her heart on her sleeve, her emotions as plain as day for all to see. Right now she was afraid, and she knew that despite the brave face she put on that Chase could see right through her like a sheet of glass.

Chase titled his head, crossing his arms as he reclined back into the leather chair.

"Where is my dad?" Kimiko demanded to know, trying to keep her voice steady.

"You're father is currently in our custody. Don't worry, so long as he does what he's told he'll be fine," Chase smiled frightfully, shadows dancing across his face as lightening flashed.

_'I wasn't fast enough.'_ Kimiko's heart sunk, her chest tightening. _'Unless this was something else they had pre-arranged.'_

Apart of her wanted to clear the distance between her and Chase, to smash her fist into his face and beat him to a bloody pulp for having taken her father prisoner. She supressed the urge as best she could, instead digging her nails into the palms of her hands.

"Now, care to tell me where you thought you where going? Running away to your father when things get bad?" Chase tsked, wagging his finger. "I'm surprised. I expected better from a Xiaolin Dragon."

Kimikos cheeks flushed red with anger, she growled quietly. "I wasn't running away."

"Oh weren't you now? So if you weren't running away why did you abandon your friends back at the temple?" Chase smiled chillingly, leaning forward as he clasped his hands on the table. "Why is it that you're here at your fathers enterprise, rather than trying to save them?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" Kimiko spat, her confidence rising with her fury.

"No... you don't," Chase began as he rose up from his seat, clasping his hands behind his back. "You don't have to explain anything."

Leisurely, he began walking around the table, making his way towards her. Kimiko moved to the opposite side of the table, trying to keep the table acting as a barrier between her and Chase.

"I can see you for exactly what you are, just by looking at you," Chase said, his eyes locking with hers.

"Oh really?" Kimiko challenged, her voice shaking.

"Yes." Chase replied curtly, confidence ringing loud as he spoke.

Kimiko watched as he continued pacing his way slowly around the table. Her hand trailed along the wood, ready to flip the table over if Chase made a move to leap over it to get to her.

"You are nothing more than a pitiful excuse of a Xiaolin, and have no right to call yourself a warrior. Unlike the coward that you are, your fellow monks stayed and fought for all they were worth, never one backing down," Chase spoke calmly, a hint of respect at her friends courage in his voice. "Although they are misguided in their belief that they fought for the right side, and were indeed wasting their talents, they were without a doubt _true_ warriors."

_'Unlike some,'_ Chase's unspoken words whispered venomously in the air.

"After we defeated your _'friends,'_ if you have the gall to still call them that, I and my fellow Heylin made an offer to them," Chase continued.

"What offer?" Kimiko asked suspiciously.

"I offered them a place by our sides, to help us rule this world and allow evil to take its rightful place," Chase said darkly, his face momentarily lighting up as lightning flashed outside.

When the lightning had flashed, for that moment, Kimiko swore that Chase's shadow had been replaced by the monstrous creature lurking under his skin.

The young Dragon of Fire shook her head. "They would never agree to join you!"

"How can you be so sure?" Chase challenged, raising an eyebrow. "You had run away with your tail behind your legs long before we made them that proposition."

Kimiko's hands tightened into fists, a light stream radiating from them.

Chase stopped walking and instead leaned against one of the chairs, his arms folded. This prompted Kimiko to stop pacing as well, having came to stand beside her fathers chair at the other side of the room.

"Because I know them! They wouldn't betray the Xiaolin!"

"I wonder if they thought the same about you?" Chase mused as he mocked contemplated the thought, rubbing his fingers against his chin. "I wonder if they believed that you, their dear, trusted _friend_ , would never betray them."

"I _haven't_ betrayed them," Kimiko bite out with a snarl. "And I know in my heart they would not turn their backs on the world to join the likes of you!"

"You left them to suffer at the hands of their enemies while you saved your own skin. I believe that classes as an act of betrayal, young one," Chase smirked. "As for their possible new allegiance to the dark side, how can you know for sure that they haven't already joined us? They've been offered a way to escape the cruel fate that was about to be inflicted upon them. Anyone who's smart enough would know to take such a deal."

Kimiko bit her lip, frowning.

There was no way that the guys had succumb to evil. They had their principles and wouldn't sell out the world to save themselves!

_'It wouldn't be the first time one of the guys have slipped into the path of darkness though,'_ a doubtful voice murmured in the back of Kimiko's head. She brushed it off, refusing to listen to it.

"Originally the same offer was intended to be made to you," Chase continued casually, his voice smooth and unwavering.

Kimiko mouth gaped open, her face contorting into a look of disgust.

"I would never join-"

"I never asked you to-," Chase raised his hand, silencing her as he continued as though she hadn't spoken. "I am in the need of warriors and have no intention of allowing a snivelling little girl with no loyalty to join my underlings."

Kimiko clenched her teeth, biting back a growl.

How _dare_ he! The egotistic sadist had the arrogance to act like he knew her when he knew nothing!

He didn't know how hard she worked every day just in hopes of getting even a small token or gesture of acceptance from her fellow dragons. She was constantly looked down upon and underestimated because of her gender, something that she had no power in controlling.

Every jab, every remark, every off handed insult that the guys threw her way in regards to her gender and her ability as a warrior drove her insane! She put her up most into everything that she did! Always worked with passion and dedication. She was determined to prove to them that she could become an incredible warrior, that it didn't matter whether or not you had two X chromosomes or not.

Hearing Chase taunt and mock her credibility as a warrior was infuriating.

She had acted rationally, trying to pick her battles wisely.

She had accepted that she wasn't strong enough to have went back down to the temple to fight for her friends, despite that being her immediate reaction to do so. If she wanted to help her friends then leaving them had been the only option.

Chase didn't know how much that decision to leave her friends was killing her!

Staying to fight in vain may have earned her some inkling of respect from Chase, but quite frankly, her friends lives took priority over such trivial matters. The Heylins opinions of her were of little consequence.

Chase didn't know her true motivations of leaving her friends, her actions had lead him to assume she was a coward.

If that was what he thought, so be it.

It would be his downfall.

"You really shouldn't assume things about me, Chase," Kimiko warned.

"Actions speak louder than words. You're actions have spoken loud and clear," Chase scoffed bitterly, his golden eyes boring into hers. "You have shown that you are not worthy of the title of Dragon of Fire, have no right to call yourself a warrior, and have demonstrated that you do not understand the simple concept of loyalty."

"Loyalty?" Kimiko spat. "Like you know anything about loyalty!"

Chase frowned, crossing his arms. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean?" Kimiko laughed bitterly. "Whose loyal to you, Chase? Do you have anyone who would be willing to go to the depths of hell and back again if it meant protecting you?"

Chase smiled, snapping his fingers

The two cat warriors moved forward, standing on either side of their master. Their faces remained impassive.

"You seem to have forgotten that I have an army of fallen warriors who have sworn their eternal loyalty to me," Chase smirked in amusement, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"That isn't true loyalty though, is it?" Kimiko questioned quietly, taking a brave step forward. "Their loyalty to you was forced upon them because they lost a showdown to you. Do you really think if they had the chance to leave that they would stay with you willingly? That they would still stand by you and defend you till the end?"

She couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it must be for the warriors.

They had been stripped of their freedom.

Taken away from their homes, their loved ones, and their way of life in order to serve Chase.

They had been cursed with immortality, had to endure watching as time stole away the world as they knew it, forever changing it as the centuries went by. All the while they remained relics, ghostly reminders of times the world had nearly forgotten.

Did Chase truly think that the cats would remain loyal to him if they were given the chance to escape from him? After everything he had done to them? After everything he had stolen from them?

For a moment Chase fell into silence, the amusement vanishing from his narrowing eyes.

"They knew exactly what they were signing up for when they accepted my challenge," Chase growled darkly, his eyes glowing bright with an inner turmoil of rage.

Kimiko blinked.

Had she hit a nerve?

Wounded his pride perhaps?

Inhaling deeply, Kimiko took the plunge.

If she wanted out of this alive, to get the opportunity to fight for the future of the world, then she was going to have to fight Chase. He had came all the way to Tokyo to deal with the loose end, to squash all hope of good ever defeating evil again. There was no way he would let her easily stroll out of here.

"Face it Chase," Kimiko taunted, trying to provoke him into rage.

If he was angry, then maybe, just maybe he would be less focused and it would give her at least a sporting chance. She didn't have to beat him. She just had to get away from him.

"True loyalty is something you will _never_ understand! Loyalty comes from the heart. Despite what you think, I am loyal to my friends, I always have been and always will be. But you? You'll never have anyone willingly put their life on the line for you, willing to stand by you and defend you! You know why? Because no one cares about you! How could _anyone_ care about someone as cold, heartless, selfish and cruel as _you!_ "

He was on her in an instant.

His movements had been cloaked by a white flare of lightening, any sound he made-if any-had been completely covered behind the rumbling roars of thunder and heavy rain slashing against the glass.

Now in his beast form, he loomed over her, lips curled back as he snarled through his fangs. His clawed, scaly green hands, wrapped around her throat, before hositing her into the air.

The next thing Kimiko knew, she was sent tumbling across the table. With a groan Kimiko rolled herself off it, scrambled to her feet, and bolted for the door.

Chase must have issued an order, because the cat warriors dove for her. The Zulu warrior leapt into the air, ready to pierce the young warrior in the heart with her spear, while the Berserker raised his axe, swinging it towards her head.

With a yelp Kimiko ducked out of the path of the incoming axe, quickly cartwheeling to the side and avoiding the spear.

The Zulu warrior darted forward, aiming a kick to her head. Kimio blocked the attack with her arm, swiftly ducking and swinging her right leg towards the Zulu warriors feet, tripping her up.

Without missing a beat, Kimiko spun to her feet, kicked up the fallen spear from the ground and twirled around just in time to block the Berserkers next blow with his axe, using the spear.

Kimiko kicked her leg up into the air, whacking the Berseker in the face, causing him to stumble backwards.

Behind her she heard the Zulu warrior getting back to her feet. Spinning around she smiled.

"Think fast!" Kimiko grinned, tossing the spear to the startled warrior. The next second the Zulu warrior was sent flying backwards when Kimiko spun around and booted her in the stomach.

Not wasting another second, Kimiko made a dash towards the door, slipping out quickly and rushing down the corridors the way she had came in. She didn't dare look back. The sound of running footsteps from her enemies only spurring her on faster.

She had to get out of here! _Now!_

All her instincts were screaming at her to run. To run faster than she ever had before!

She just had to get to the roof top where Dojo was waiting for her. If she got up there he could fly them to safety.

To her right she heard a whooshing sound. Eyes widening, Kimiko moved her head to the side, narrowly missing the spear that plunged through the air, then lodged itself in the wall. It seemed the Zulu warrior was back on her feet.

Rounding a corner, Kimiko saw the fire escape that would lead to the stair case to the roof.

She was so close!

Just a little further and-

Something large and heavy rammed into her, the incredible force knocking her through the concrete wall and sending her crashing through several pieces of furniture.

She had been sent crashing into one of the buildings many small laboratory rooms. Complicated series of test tubes now lay shattered, their neon liquid contents having spilled out across the glossy white floor. Workbenches and chairs were now toppled over. Laptops and machinery broken.

With a groan she raised a hand to her head, wincing as it throbbed. She tried focusing, but her head just kept spinning.

Through her blurring vision she saw Chase making his way towards her, tossing aside any chairs and tables that stood in his way. He looked furious, his golden eyes burning with rage.

_'Oh boy am I in trouble,'_ Kimiko muttered.

Gripping onto the near by workbench, she tried to haul herself to her feet. She hissed in pain as her body cried out in protest at her movements. Frantically, she looked around the room, straining to make out any form of exit other than the one behind Chase.

Realising there was no other way out, Kimiko dropped into a fighting stance, ignoring the aches and pains in her body.

If she was going down then she wasn't going down without a fight!

With an inhuman snarl, Chase lunged forward. Immediately he began firing powerful punches and kicks at her. Each strike hit her like a tonne of bricks, only further antagonising her already bruising, aching body.

Kimiko remained on the defensive, blocking as many of the attacks as she could. Most of his hits landed, very few did she manage to successfully avoid or block.

With a growl Kimiko shot forward, swinging a kick towards her opponents face. Chase caught her leg in mid-air. Swiftly, Kimiko swung her other leg, slamming it into Chase's neck and forcing him to release her leg. Kimiko's hands landed on the floor first and she flipped over so she was once again standing on both feet.

Twirling around she kicked the beast in the stomach, moving as fast as she could to deliver a blow with her fist to his snout.

Chase grabbed her tiny fist in his talon like hands, crushing it in his tight grasp. Kimiko cried out, launching her other hand in his direction. Chase caught it in a bone crunching grip as well.

The dark Heylin Prince began pushing her backwards.

Kimiko struggled, trying to push him back. Her feet skidded across the ground as Chase over powered her and coniuted driving her backwards. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw what he was trying to accomplish.

He was pushing her back towards the glass window!

Digging her heels into the ground, Kimiko tried to bring them to a stop. She ferociously struggled against his grip on her hands, trying to break free.

It was no good. He was just to strong! **  
**

"Let. Me. Go!" Kimiko hissed. "FIRE!"

Hot searing flames burst to life in her hand. Chase let out a howl of pain, reflectively releasing her. Kimiko took the fire in her hands, merging it into one large ball, before pitching it towards Chase.

The Dark Heylin creature growled, batting the ball of fire away with a powerful whack of his tail. The fire-ball shot off towards a nearby workbench filled with test tubes and chemicals, large yellow warning signs labelled on the wall above it saying 'Highly flammable.'

_'Uh oh,'_ Kimkio winced.

She didn't have any time to duck for cover as the fire ignited the chemicals and caused an explosion which rocked the entire building, the blast knocking both warriors off their feet.

Kimiko lay panting on her back, staring up at the smoke, cracked roof panels and sparking wires dangling dangerously from the ceiling. She could hardly move, her body now completely exhausted.

Suddenly, cold leather clad hands tightened around her neck, hoisting her up into the air. Kimiko could barely scream or cry out, the iron grip on her throat strangling her. Struggling to keep her eyes open, Kimiko saw Chase, now in his human form, smiling victoriously at her.

Feebly, she swung her legs at him, trying to kick him while her fingers weakly clawed at his arms.

"Let... me… go!" Kimiko choked out, trying futilely to unclench his hands from her throat.

"Now Kimiko," Chase smiled slyly, tilting his head as he examined her. "Try not to fall for me."

Then, with one last smirk, he sealed her fate.

With a mighty heave he sent her shattering through the window of the fortieth floor.

Pain shot through Kimiko as her back impacted the glass. Shards of glass sliced into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain as blood splashed through the air. Her pain only got worse as the sensation of falling over came her.

As Kimiko plummeted down towards her soon to be watery grave at the bottom of the raging Sumida River, she managed one last glance to the fortieth floor of her father's building.

Chase was louring on the edge of the broken window, his long raven like hair, with its glint of green, blowing behind him. He waved to her, then turned to leave, not even bothering to watch as she fell to her demise. Treating her death as nothing more than insignificant to his precious time.

Oh how she _hated_ him!

With a one finally breath of resignation, Kimiko clenched her eyes shut.

All she could do now was wait for the inevitable.

_'I am so sorry everyone,'_ Kimiko whispered to herself, a single tear slipping past her defences. _'I failed all of you.'_

With that last thought, Kimiko felt the darkness overcome her as she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Hey Kid, come on! Wake up!_

Kimiko felt something shake her roughly. With a groan she batted away the irksome thing.

She was so tired. Just a _little_ more sleep and then she would get up and start her chores. Surely Master Fung wouldn't mind her sleeping in just this once? She was just so tired and sore. It felt like she'd been hit by a truck, her whole body pulsing with painful throbs.

_Come on, Kimiko! You need to wake up now! Please!_

_'Just a few more minutes,'_ Kimiko pleaded.

_Please, Kimmy. Please... wake up!_

"Oh for the love of-Alright! I'm up!" Kimiko whined.

Groggily, she raised her hand to her head, hissing when it throbbed sorely. No doubt there would be a very nasty bruise forming there.

_'Oh gosh, when did I bang my head? And why do I feel so awful?'_

Opening her eyes she found her vision was blurred. In front of her she could just make out blurs of different shades of red and a small green blur frantically hovering over her, applying what she thought to be a white cloth to her head. The moment it touched her skin she let out a yelp as it aggravated her wound. With a growl she pushed it away.

"Oh, Kimiko! You're finally awake!"

"Dojo?" Kimiko frowned.

The little lizard sprung forward, enveloping the bewildered girl in an embrace while smothering her with affectionate, slobbery kisses on both her cheeks.

"Dojo!" Kimiko groaned, his affections causing her pain. Awkwardly she unlatched him from her.

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve she tried to re-focus her vision. It took a few minutes but eventually the green blur morphed into the familiar shape of her little dragon companion, Dojo.

Behind Dojo, she could now see that the various tones of red were coming from what appeared to be a river of... lava?

"Where-where are we?" Kimiko stuttered, attempting to push herself up, using the wall that she was slumped against as leverage.

"Hold your horses, Kiddo. That was one really nasty fall you had!"

"Fall?"

It felt like a cold bucket of water had been thrown over her. Everything came back to her, sobering her up from her slumber.

Kimiko nodded and relaxed herself against the wall, allowing Dojo to continue flitting about her as he dealt with fixing up her wounds. Well he did that, she allowed her gaze to travel around her new location.

She appeared to be in some form of underground cavern.

Long, claw like stalactites hung from the ceiling, their ghostly shadows stretching across the cave walls.

On the ground, a river of molten lava weaved its way through the centre of the cave, its bright glow alighting the cavern in a soft, soothing red warmth. Stalagmites rose up from the ground around it, some reaching the stalactites above and forming magnificent pillars.

There only appeared to be two ways in or out; two large holes, one where a waterfall of lava was pouring into the cavern, fuelling the river, and another where the river disappeared further into the cave system.

"Are we in a volcano, Dojo?" Kimiko questioned, awestruck by the cavern.

"Yipe," Dojo nodded, carefully un-wrapping a bloodied bandage around her left arm. "We're inside one of the lava chambers in Mount Fuji. I use to come to this place, back when I was still in my rebellious teen years."

"Are there more caves like this in here?" Kimiko asked curiously.

"There's a whole system of caves in here. Most people can't get to them though as they can't stand the heat. That's actually why I brought you here. I figured the Heylin wouldn't be able to follow us here due to the extreme conditions," Dojo explained, sticking his tongue out as he carefully wrapped a fresh bandaged around her left hand.

It was extremely hot down in the cavern. No one could survive long down here without some form of aid. Then again, depending on how far into the volcano they were, conventional equipment that could be used to help people endure the extreme conditions may be useless. Possibly the only way for someone to get down here and survive would be through the use of Shen Gong Wu, such as The Black Beatle.

Kimiko being the Dragon of Fire, however, could withstand the fiery conditions easily.

She could wield flames in the palm of her hand, or even engulf herself entirely with her fire and have no burn marks to show for it. She was fireproof.

Despite this, she could still tell that it was unbearable hot, yet it didn't faze her at all. It just felt natural. Comfortable even.

Oddly enough, Kimiko felt right at home here in the depths of the volcano. The inside of the volcano was almost like a natural temple, a safe heaven for her element to soar freely. It was like being submerged in the heart of her element.

"How long have I been out for?"

Dojo went quiet, hesitating while tending to her wounded arm. .

"About a week."

"A week?" Kimiko echoed lightly.

Seven full days had passed since The Heylin had defeated them.

How much of the world had been completed conquered by evil in that time? Was there anything left of the world she had known? Or had it all fallen into eternal darkness?

Kimiko could hear her blood pumping in her ears. She took a calm breath.

"Dojo... What happened after I-after Chase... threw me out the window. I... I thought I was a goner."

Dojo glanced away, gripping his tail and fidgeting with it nervously.

"You nearly were," he whispered. "I... I could barely hear anything over the storm. I swore I heard glass shattering so I... I glimpsed over the edge to see if I was just imaging things. Then I saw you falling and-"

Dojo struggled to finish his sentence, blinking his eyes rapidly as he tried to fight back the tears threatening to spill.

"You saved me," Kimiko finished for him, a tender smile on her face.

Dojo nodded mutely, still not meeting her eyes. "I almost didn't make it to you, Kimiko."

"But you did, Dojo. You did. You were fast enough. You made it," Kimiko said softly, reaching out for her friend.

_'You did so much better than me, Dojo.'_

Dojo sniffled, turning away from her.

"Dojo," Kimiko asked tentatively. "Are you...are you okay?"

It was silly question, that she knew.

But what else could she say?

What did one say to their friend when he had lost everything? When they both… had lost everything. What words of comfort could she offer when the entire world was crashing and burning all around them? When they were seeing everything they cherished slipping through their fingers and being thrown into oblivion.

If there were such words, words that could take away the chaos of emotions, to put their hearts at rest, to ease their fears and make everything better… then she didn't have them… though she desperately yearned for them.

"I'm fine, I just have some soot in my eye," Dojo said quickly, almost cheerfully. "I'm fine."

The little dragon nodded his head, softly uttering the words over and over again. Kimiko knew he wasn't trying to convince her; he was trying to convince himself.

With a strained smile that didn't reach his eyes, he finally looked up at her, his tiny claws fidgeting with one another. A second later the smile wavered, wobbling from a smile to a frown before the dam of tears welling in his eyes finally broke, and the little dragon burst into hysterics.

Kimikos heart broke at the sight. Swiftly she moved forward, scooping him up into her arms and pulling him into a tight embrace. Dojo flung his arms round her neck, crying loudly into her shoulder.

"I thought I'd lost you too! Just like the guys and Master Fung!" Dojo wailed, tightening his embrace.

The sound of Dojo weeping nearly pushed her over the edge, almost forcing her to succumb to the heart breaking sobs threatening to break free.

_'Don't you dare cry, Kimiko Tomokish!'_ Kimiko chided herself. _'Don't you dare!'_

Kimiko hugged the little dragon twice as hard.

She was all Dojo had left.

She was all the world had left!

For them, she would not only have to be strong. No... she would have to become stronger!

She didn't now how long she and Dojo sat there, simply enjoying the small comfort of each others embrace. Eventually the two of them were lulled into slumber.

While Kimiko slept, one thought rang through her mind, a thought that would haunt her every night for years to come whenever her conscious would be seduced into sleep.

What did her friends believe?

That she was still faithful to them and intended to rescue them as soon as she could?

Or did they come to the conclusion that she was nothing more than a coward, a traitor who had turned her back on them to save her own skin?

Not knowing what they believed tormented her.

Such ponders as to how her friends now viewed her were not the only thing that would plague her dreams. For every nightmare she had, there was one thing that always appeared, hiding away in the dark corners of her mind.

A pair of golden, mocking reptilian eyes, smirking at her in the darkness.


	3. Dark Alliances

_They were back in their own time, safe and sound within the temple walls. Their teacher stood before them, his hands clasped in front of him. His ever faithful companion Dojo, was draped around his shoulders, watching the young monks with a sense of pride as Master Fung announced who would ascend as The Xiaolin Dragon's leader._

_Kimiko remembered seeing the look of astonishment on Raimundo's face as Master Fung declared that he was their leader, the first to arise to the level of Shoku warrior. He could scarcely believe it. Blinking rapidly, mouth gaping, starring at his new, black robes in disbelief. She watched as he slowly came to his senses, noticing Omi standing behind Master Fung, his head hung low, a line of tears glittering in his eyes._

_Kimiko blinked back the tears threatening to slip down her rosy cheeks. Omi had been so sure that he would be the leader. It must have been so hard for him. She wasn't sure if Omi would gracefully accept Rai as their leader, and was sure a fight was about to break out._ _Her face broke into a grin when, instead, Omi swallowed his pride, clearing away the tears in his eyes and smiled at Raimundo, a sign of acceptance._

_Everything was perfect. They were a team again, a family. Nothing could separate or come between them. They were in harmony._ _They would have to celebrate. After everything that had just happened in the alternative universe they deserved a break._

_Unfortunately, the peace was not to last, and the celebrations would never come._

_An almighty explosion shook the temple walls, debris crumbling from the ceiling and walls cracking with the force. The monks raced outside to the source of the sound, shocked gasps escaping them as they came face to face with every Heylin they had ever encountered. They stood a few yards away from the temple, lined up side by side, smirking and grinning evilly._

_Kimiko tightened her hands into fists, smirking. If it was a fight they wanted, then it was a fight they would get._

_"The Survival of the world depends on you," Master Fung said, bowing his head respectfully to his students._

_Kimiko rolled her eyes,_ It always does.

_"Not too much pressure there," Dojo grinned, pulling at his beard._

_Raimundo turned to his team with a grin. Clay repositioned his hat, cracking his knuckles. Omi grinned, nodding his head at Raimundo, trusting him to lead the way. Kimiko smiled, readying herself for the command. With one nod from their leader, they leaped into action, ready to take down the threat against the world once more._

_Only... it was not too be._

_On their own, or in small groups, The Heylin at times may have prove difficult to beat, but the monks had always been able to overcome them. But with all The Heylin working together as a unit, they proved too strong. Perhaps that was goods secret, why they had always won before. Because they had always stuck together, fighting for a common goal, combing all their power and talent to achieve victory._

_It seemed The Heylin had finally caught onto it._

_And they were now they were turning the tides._

_The monks felt themselves become overwhelmed as Heylin after Heylin charged at them, throwing everything they had into the fight._

_Kimiko remembered seeing Raimundo being tag teamed by Hannibal and Wuya, much bad blood being between them and the Shoku warrior. She raced over to help, flipping over Katnappe who had just been about to take a vicious swipe at her. As she landed on the ground after her flip, Kimiko spun around, kicking Katnappe's feet out from under. The cat burglar let out a shriek as she tumbled backwards, whacking her head off the ground. Kimiko left the cat thief behind with a cluster of stars dancing around her head._

_"Raimundo!" Kimiko shouted over the roaring flames, cries and shouts of the battlefield. "I'm coming! Just hold-"_

_Kimiko felt the air being strangled out of her as Cyclops appeared in front of her, grabbing her tightly in his colossal hand. The monster let out a ringing bellow, spewing saliva everywhere. Kimiko grunted, trying to break free from his suffocating grasp._

_"Let... me... go!"_

_Her vision was blurring, and it was becoming harder and harder to breath. The next thing she knew Cyclops had raised her high above his head, then with an evil laugh, he launched her through the air. Kimiko screamed as she smashed through the temple, pain shooting through her body as she crashed into the floor, leaving a huge dent with spider like cracks._

_"Kimiko!"_

_She felt frail arms help her into a sitting position. She breathed in heavily, trying to grasp her bearings. Looking around, she realised she was in the Wu vault._

_"Are you alright, Kiddo?"_

_Kimiko turned at the sound Dojo's voice. He was wrapped around Master Fung's leg, watching her with worried, panicked eyes._

_"I need to get back out there," Kimiko panted._

_She struggled to her feet, wincing as her body cried out in protest at her movements. She had to have broken something in that fall, at the very least she had to have severally bruised most of her body._ _Master Fung prevented her from moving any further with an outstretched arm. Kimiko looked at him questioningly. He shook his head._

_"No, Kimiko, it is much too dangerous."_

_"What? But the guys are out there! They need my help!"_

_"Kimiko... it is too late," Master Fung said solemnly._

_Kimiko blinked, her heart tightening. "What? No! They're still out there! They need me!"_

_"This is a battle you shall not win! They are much stronger now that they are together."_

_BANG! BANG! BANG! Startled, the trio turned to the vault door. It was shaking on its hinges, the wood splintered as The Heylin outside battered the door, trying to get in. Kimiko gritted her teeth, limping her way toward the door. Master Fung grasped her wrist, pulling her back._

_"No, young dragon. If you go out there you will fall just like the others," her teacher warned._

_Fall? The guys had... no... NO! They couldn't have!_

_"Quick, this way," Master Fung pulled her over to the wind chime dangling from the ceiling, striking three of the metal bars, a delicate, melodic chime emitting from them. There was the sound of stone scrapping against the floor. Puzzled, Kimiko turned to see a section of the wall slide open, revealing a secret passageway engulfed in darkness. "Dojo, take Kimiko and warn the other temples if you can. If not, then flee as far as you can from here."_

_"Wait, what? Flee? No! I'm not going anywhere without the guys! They need me, Master Fung!"_

_Master Fung placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. "Kimiko, if you do not leave now then all hope for the world is lost. Take the Shen Gong Wu that I have given Dojo, and escape while you can. You are the world's last hope. If you fall... then eternal darkness shall be humanity's fate. Believe in yourself, young warrior."_

_The door began to break with a deafening crack. Master Fung's eyes widened fearfully. He pushed Kimiko into the passageway, flinging Dojo in after her before closing it behind them. Kimiko heard the beginnings of a struggle behind the secret door, but Dojo grabbed onto her, pulling her further into the tunnel._

_"Kimiko! We need to go!" Dojo hissed._

_"I can't-"_

_"Going somewhere?"_

_Kimiko spun around, unable to cry out as a leather, gloved hand wrapped tightly around her neck. She struggled, trying to pry the hand away from her. She opened her eyes, finding a pair of golden orbs with cat like slits watching her in amusement, a sadistic smirk on their owners face._

_"Farewell, Dragon of Fire."_

"NO!"

With a soul throbbing shudder, Kimiko was wrenched out of her deep meditation with a blood curdling scream. She choked, coughing violently as her hands shot up to reach for the leather clad hand grasped around her throat, only to find there was none. She frowned in confusion, her eyes darting wildly around to survey her surroundings. With every familiar sight her eyes took in, her erratically beating heart calmed down, the realisation that she had been dreaming dawning on her.

She wasn't at the Xiaolin temple that she had grew to love enough to call home. No, that had perished, burned into a searing pile of ash and rubble.

Instead she was in a small garden at the foot a large forest clad mountain, kneeling down on the crisp grass underneath a blanket of trees; their leaves of amber, red, pink and green fanned out, filtering the golden light from the setting sun.

Tucked away at the side of the mountain, partial built into it, was an old, decrepit, Xiaolin temple. Many of the faded, red tiles on the roof had fallen off, some still clustering the garden in broken and shattered piles. The paint on the hole ridden walls and cracked pillars was patchy, much of it having peeled off. There was a small, hazardous looking balcony on the second floor overlooking the weed infested garden. Some of the wooden floor boards on it were missing or had large gaping holes in them. The iron railing had rusted, turning a sickly orange color.

Kimiko let out a sigh of relief life at the sight she had come to know well over the years. It was she and Dojo's sanctuary. Their hiding place. Their refuge. Their home. An old forgotten temple that had somehow survived The Heylin's destructive crusade to destroy everything with any relation to The Xiaolin. Strangely, even the surrounding forest had remained untainted by The Heylin's hands. She didn't know why this was, but she was thankful for the small blessing. At least some of the worlds beautiful wonders, even if it was only a small, fraction of a forest, had been spared.

They had found this temple a few months after the downfall of good. For the first few weeks of evils reign, she and Dojo had remained hidden within Mt Fugi, but of course they couldn't stay there forever. It was a pure stroke of luck that they had stumbled upon this hidden paradise on their aimless wondering through Japan.

Kimiko closed her eyes, relief flooding her. She was safe.

_It was just nightmare,_ Kimiko thought with a sigh, her arms wrapping around herself as the wind caressed her skin, her midnight tresses billowing behind her like a long ribbon. _Just another horrible, terrible, nightmare. You should be use to them by now..._

Sadly, she knew she never would. It had been five years since that fateful day that altered her world, and still those nightmarish memories took dark delight in tormenting her slumbering moments, never once relenting. No matter how many times she saw them, they never lost their vicious power of being able to wound and torture her so.

"Kimiko," a soft voice whispered.

The young women turned to the source that had withdrawn her - rather rudely - from her mediating. Nevertheless, she couldn't deny that she was thankful for the intervention. Clutching onto the sleeve of her robe were two sets of talons.

"Dojo," Kimiko breathed, briefly closing her eyes again. "I thought I asked you not to disturb me when I'm mediating. You know how disorienting that can be."

The little dragon looked at her timidly. "Sorry, it's just, you looked like were having another nightmare. "

Shadows flickered across the young warriors face. "I was."

Dojo didn't comment further, already knowing what terrifying images consumed her peace. Whether it be in sleep or meditation, the nightmares of that day when their fellow Xiaolin had fallen still haunted the girl. The little dragon recalled all those nights sleeping beside her, watching her through tired, sorrowful eyes as she tossed and turned, crying out for her lost companions as she reached out for something that wasn't there, something that was always just out of her reach.

"So I'm assuming its nearly dinner time if your here," Kimiko smiled teasingly, playfully tickling the dragon under his chin as she tried to lighten up the atmosphere.

Dojo whacked his tail off the ground offensively, huffing as he crossed his arms. "You make it sound like the only reason I ever come to see you if when I want something."

Kimiko laughed, raising to her feet and dusting off the leaves and dirt that clung to her persimmon shaded robes. She ran a hand down her waist length hair, shaking free the blossom petals that the wind had weaved into it.

"Oh, so you're not here for food then?"

"Now hold up! I didn't say that!"

Kimiko laughed heartily, lifting her small companion onto her shoulder. "Come on, I'll make you something to eat."

"Well it is _your_ turn to make dinner," Dojo pointed out.

"That's probably a good thing too. Youre last dish was toxic, Dojo. Don't even try to deny it!"

"Well no wonder! A professional chief like me requires the finest of ingredients."

Which was something they didn't have the luxury of having. Major food stores that she had grown accustomed to when she was younger no longer existed. If you wanted food you either had to grow it yourself, or buy it at the weekly market from someone who would. Most of the lands couldn't grow anything, let alone crops of high quality, so most foods were poor in there quality, and high in there expensive.

If you weren't up for that then you could always chance your luck scavenging the ruined cities. After The Heylin's initial rampage, all the major cities and settlements of the world had been destroyed, reduced to nothing more than a desert of carnage and entangled heaps of metal, concrete and glass. The best supplies were buried within the rubble, but retrieving them came with many risks. Partially collapsed buildings were prone to caving in. There were often dangerous booby traps laying in wait. The cities were also swarming with other scavengers and bounty hunters, who were not known for their mercy.

"Well lets go see what we have to work with," Kimiko said with a smile.

She made her way towards the temple, pausing at the double doors. At first the doors - as usual - wouldn't budge, taking a few strong shoves before finally creaking open. Kimiko muttered a curse under her breath, shutting and bolting closed the doors behind her.

"Could be doing with some oil," Dojo commented airily, frowning. "Maybe a fresh lick of paint too. "

"This whole place could do with a paint job," Kimiko muttered.

With a flick of her hand the torches welded to the walls flared to life, alighting the main hall in a bright, orange glow.

The main hall was a large, rectangular room, rows of pillars lined the sides, holding the ceiling up. Each pillar was adored with faded artwork, each one telling a different story: some held paintings of warriors, monks, and beautiful women in intricately decorated kimonos; others had scenery like mountains, forests, jungles and rivers; some even depicted mythical creatures like phoenix's. The floor was made from marble, and very much in need of a good polish. Up in the rafters were giant cobwebs - much to Kimiko' s displeasure, she had yet to find the critters that had made them!

Kimiko despaired at how such temple, that at its peak surely would have been such a beautiful masterpiece, could have fallen into such disrepair.

She and Dojo had tried to bring it up to its formal glory, but no matter how much they tired to fix it up it with their scant resources, bizarrely, everything they did always seemed to come undone. Walls that had been plastered would crack and crumble. Freshly painted doors would split and peel. Boarded up floor boards would break. And anything that was oiled would still squeak.

It was as if the temple had a mind of its own and didn't want to get fixed!

"We really ought to consider installing a few bookcases too," Dojo mused, referring the hundreds of books scattered throughout the room, stacked in heaps or lying open.

All the books were martial arts books, the only thing that could help Kimiko advance in her Kung Fu in the absence of a teacher. They would never compare to having an actual mentor walk through the steps, to help her perfect the moves. But alas, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"No need for bookcases! I have everything exactly where I need them," Kimiko said sternly. "There is a method to the madness, I swear."

"Uh-huh," Dojo drawled doubtfully..

Kimiko made her way through one of the doors, creaks and squeaks following her every footstep until she reached the kitchen. She rummaged through the cupboards, clicking her tongue irritably when she noticed just how low in food stocks they were. It didn't look like she would be able to put off another scavenge to Kyoto any longer.

"I'll need to go to Kyoto tonight and look for some more food," Kimiko muttered, slamming shut the cupboard door. "Is there anything in particular we need? "

"We'll we could do with some new-"

An ungodly loud crash, accompanied by the sound of breaking tiles and cracking wood, erupted somewhere within the temple.

Kimiko jumped in fright, her hand darting over her heart. Dojo coiled his trembling form around Kimiko's neck, hiding behind her head.

"W-What was t-that?" Dojo stuttered, peeking up over Kimiko's head. "I-It came from the grand hallway!"

"Oh no! Tell me the roof hasn't caved in again!" Kimiko muttered, wincing at the clean up that would follow.

Kimiko sprinted into the grand hallway, coming to a grinding halt.

Sprawled on the floor in a dusty mound of broken tiles and concrete, was a crow. Kimiko glanced up, seeing a huge gaping hole in the ceiling were the creature had fallen through. Kimiko rushed across the marble floor, kneeling down beside the creature. Its wing looked crooked, it had probably hurt it with its unconventional landing.

"Dojo, go and get me some water and some cloths."

Delicately, she scooped the bird up, taking it over to a small futon where she laid it down to rest. Once Dojo brought her the requested materials, she began carefully cleaning the dust and debris from its feathers. She didn't notice the small lizard slither away back into the hallway.

"Poor thing," Kimiko said pityingly as she wrapped its injured wing in several layers of bandages. "There, all done. Its not perfect, but it'll have to do for now."

"Thank ye very much, lassie."

Kimiko froze at the sound of the masculine, Scottish voice. Slowly, her eyes drifted down to her lap where the crow was nestled on the futon. Its beady eyes were open, starring at her. Kimiko blinked, taking a quick look around the room to see if anyone else was there. Finding no one, she looked down at the crow again.

"Did you just... did you just talk?" Kimiko asked unsurely.

"That I did, lass. Ma names Nicholas," The crow awkwardly flapped to its feet, giving her a polite bow with its un-bandaged wing. "I thank ye very much for yer assistance."

"Oh, its alive."

Kimiko and the crow looked up to see Dojo by the doorway, a small chefs hat on his head and a large pot held in both claws.

"Oh well, there goes tonight's dinner," Dojo grumbled to himself.

The crow's beak dropped open, his feathers ruffling indignantly. It glared at the little dragon murderously, very much looking like it wanted to peck his eyes out.

"Never mind him. He was just joking," Kimiko said, letting out a strained laugh. She locked eyes with the dragon, giving him a furious glare. " _Weren't_ you?"

"Ha, ha, ha! Of course!" Dojo laughed with false serenity, waving his hand dismissively. He tossed aside his hat and pot, whistling innocently.

"Well, since you're awake would you care to join us for some dinner?" Kimiko asked, softening her features as she turned to the crow.

Nicholas nodded his head, "I would very much appreciate that. I haven't eaten in day!"

The trio went into the kitchen, Kimiko placing their new guest on the table. Dojo busied himself around the cupboards, scrounging up what little ingredients they had left to make some soup.

"Would ye mind takin aff these wrappings from ma wing. They're a wee bit tight," Nicholas asked, flapping his wounded wing.

"Oh, Kimiko, before you do, could you light up the fire place?" Dojo asked.

Kimiko clicked her fingers, fire bursting to life in the small pit below the large cooking pot. Nicholas's eyes widened in wonder.

"Ye... conjured fire. Only Elemental Dragons of Fire can dae that," Nicholas whispered, watching Kimiko in fascination. "Are ye... The Dragon of Fire... Kimiko Tohomiko?"

"You know me?" Kimiko asked, turning from the fire place to look at the bird in surprise.

The crow tilted its head, giving her a sly look. "There are very few who dinnea ken of the great Xiaolin warriors who once protected this world. Everyone believes ye- Dragon of Fire - are dead."

"For now, that's for the best," Kimiko said quietly as she un-bandaged the crows wings. "Eh - wow. You're wings already healed! How is that possible? It was pretty banged up."

Nicholas looked around nervously, shrugging his wings. "Umm... am jist a faster healer than most animals."

Kimiko eyed him warily. She could tell that wasn't quite the full story, but she let it slide.

"So whit are ye daeing here then? If ye dinnea mind me asking," Nicholas asked gently. "I would have thought ye'd be out trying tae save the world."

Kimiko bit her lip. Every day she asked herself that. What was she doing here? She was suppose to be preparing herself for when she tried to save humanity from The Heylin. Each morning she trained and studied, trying to develop her skills as best she could. A lot of the time she couldn't help but wonder, what was the point? She was one women going up against dauntingly, powerful opponents, who held the world at their finger tips. It seemed like a helpless cause. In reality... she didn't know what to do.

"That is the plan," Kimiko replied after a few moments. "Its just... I...I'm still...ughhh."

"Yer naw sure how to save it... are ye?"

Kimiko sighed, "No, I don't. I want to save everyone, but I know I can't go charging in, guns blazing. That won't do me, or anyone else, any good."

Nicholas nodded in agreement. "Tis true. If ye dae that ye'll end up locked up in chains in some dungeon... if yer lucky."

"It just seems... impossible," Kimiko confessed, burying face in her hands. "Right now I'm just... bidding my time, I guess."

At least until she came up with a fool proof plan to save the world. She had to be sure that she was ready and fully prepared. If she went in and wasn't ready then it was game over. Forever.

_No pressure at all,_ Kimko thought grimly.

Dojo slithered over to Kimiko, gently snuggling his head into her side. "Hey, Kiddo, don't let it get you down. We can do this. I know we can."

Kimiko lifted her head, smiling softly at the little dragon. She cupped the side of his head, resting hers against his. "Thank you, Dojo."

"I may ken someone who can help ye."

"Oh, really?" Dojo drawled dryly. "And who's that? Our friendly neighbourhood pigeon?"

The crow scowled at the dragon. "Hold yer tongue, ye slimy gecko!"

"What-" Dojo snarled, butting heads with the crow. Steam rolled out his flared nostrils, his scales bristling, "-Did you call me!"

"Perhaps ye should clean yer ears out," the crow spat back, flapping its wings menacingly.

A hand shot out, wrapping around the furious little dragon's snout, silencing him momentarily. Kimiko sent him a warning glare. The little dragon was smart enough to take the hint. Kimiko cleared her throat, turning her attention back to Nicholas.

"Please, can you tell me who?"

"An.. acquaintance, of sorts."

"An acquaintance?" Dojo snorted, crossing his arms. "Is that all you're going to tell us?"

"He is a powerful warrior with much experience on the battlefield. I believe he would make an excellent ally in yer battle against Wuya and Hannibal."

One person was missing from this equation.

"What about Chase Young?" Kimiko asked, his name like venom on her tongue. It was a name she hadn't dared speak since the last time she had encountered him. "Will this 'acquaintance' of yours be able to help me stop him as well?"

The crow went very quiet for a long time, tilting its head as its fathomless black eyes observed the young women. "I suppose… in a way. If ye play yer cards right."

Dojo muttered something under breath, wagging his tail in annoyance. "And what exactly is this persons name?"

"I cannae quite remember," Nicholas said hesitantly. "I do recall he was a Xiaolin monk." Kimiko was vaguely aware of him mumbling something that sounded like _'at one point,'_ under his breath. She narrowed her eyes at him, and Nicholas quickly added, "But ye can understand why naebody will admit tae being Xiaolin anymore. Unless ye want tae um-" Nicholas used the tip of one of his wings to make a slicing gesture over his throat. "Ye ken whit I mean, aye?"

Kimiko let out a long sigh. "Where can I find this person?"

"You're not seriously believing what this bag of feathers is saying!"

Nicholas glared at the dragon.

"Dojo, if its someone who use to be apart of The Xiaolin they could help us! The more help we get the better our chances are!"

"But-"

"Shhh!" Kimiko snapped shut his snout again, clutching onto it to prevent him from arguing any further. "Nicholas, could you please tell me where I can find this person?"

Nicholas winced, letting out a nervous laugh. He scratched the back of his head with one of his wings, looking anywhere but the hopeful girl before him, "Umm… that's the bad part. He's… locked up... in Chase Young's palace."

Dojo's eyes nearly bulged out their sockets. His loud, muffled protests causing Kimiko to wince.

Kimiko could understand Dojo's surprise and concern. Most of the Heylin's enemies were simply thrown in one of Spicer's many prisons that were littered across the globe. For someone to be kept prisoner in Chase's own castle meant the evil prince wanted to keep a _very_ close eye on them. It would also be near impossible to break him out. Especially with Chase Young prowling about.

"Well that's just created more problems than its solved," Kimiko mumbled, running a hand agitatedly through her hair.

"Perhaps not," Nicholas grinned. "I might jist know a way tae get into Chase's dungeon. Undetected."

Kimiko narrowed her eyes at the crow. "And how do you know this?"

"I umm... travelled with this man fir some time, so I was a wee bit fond of him. I tired to save him, managed to sneak ma way into Chase's lair, but as a crow, there was no much I could dae. But as a result of ma heroic attempts, I know ma way quite well around his liar."

It all sounded too good to be true.

Allegedly, this crow would guide her all the way to someone who could help her in her fight against The Heylin, and as an added bonus she'd be getting a little payback against Chase. It would be deliciously sweet to steal a highly guarded prisoner right out from under his nose.

It really, _really_ did sound to good to be true.

Dojo was right to be suspicious. It all seemed more than a little fishy.

But it was an opportunity, a chance to move forward to reclaim the world. She was fed up being cooped up in the temple all the time, stuck in a never ending routine of training, studying, scavenging, chores, eating and sleeping. It made her feel like she was getting nowhere. She couldn't keep going on like this. She had to do something!

This was as good a place as any to start.

"Alright then," Kimiko smirked. "Lets go."

* * *

The trip to Chase's palace was more nerve wracking than Kimiko thought it was going to be. It didn't help that neither her, or Dojo, had been out flying for years; unable to due to fear of being discovered by Spicer's Jack bots who regularly surveyed the skies. The worst part, something that truly churned her stomach, was from up here, she could see the finished product of The Heylin's vicious reign. Never ending lands of destruction and ruin, stretching far out into the dark horizon.

Unable to bare the sight, Kimiko kept her eyes closed, allowing herself to fall into a light, meditative trance for the duration of the journey.

Nicholas directed them to a waterfall behind Chase's lair. Dojo spiralled into it, barely missing being seen by a group of Wuya's rock minions who had been patrolling the grounds. Once inside, Kimiko dismounted Dojo, who then shrunk to his miniature size.

"Come on, lets get this over with," Dojo whisper, his voice trembling. "This place gives me the creeps."

"No, Dojo, I need you to wait out here for us," Kimiko said, taking the little dragon over to a large boulder and placing him down on top of it. "If we're not back in thirty minutes leave without us. We can't risk both of us getting captured. If this is a trap, or if I do caught, then you're the worlds only hope."

"The world is doomed," Nicholas quipped dryly, earning him a scowl from his companions.

"Come on, Nicholas, lets get going."

Kimiko pulled her hood over her head, casting most of her face in shadows. Instead of her Xiaolin robes, she'd opted to wear her scavenging outfit: black, ripped jeans with black combat boots pulled over them, a black tank top and a cosy, black jacket with fox ears adoring the hood. She'd also brought her retractable bo staff with her, along with a few other pieces of equipment.

The pair meandered their way through a labyrinth of dark, eerie tunnels. Occasionally they had to hide behind fang like, stone pillars jutted out from the ground, as small groups of rock creatures marched by through the stone corridors. Kimiko found it rather odd that there were so many rock creatures, yet they hadn't came across a single cat warrior - not that she was complaining, but it was strange. Eventually, they reached a long, narrow passageway. At the very end of the dimly lit corridor was a single, iron barred door.

Kimiko crept along the wall, darting between the shadows cast by the torches on the wall. Once she reached the door she went on her tippy toes, her fingers wrapping around the cold, metal bars, using them as a means to help her pull herself up to peer into the dark cell.

She could barely see anything in the darkness, but could just make out the faint outline of a man shackled to the wall. His head was hung low, his face hidden behind the shadows. Just as she was about to snap her fingers and summon her flames to get a better look, the sound of approaching footsteps to her left caught her attention. She gulped, quickly grasping onto the door handle and fidgeting with the lock, tyring futility to unlock it.

_Damn it! Of course it would be locked!_

"Here!" Nicholas hissed, gliding soundless over to her before dropping an old, rusty key in her hand.

"Where did you get this?" Kimiko whispered as she unlocked the prison door.

"Never mind that, Lassie! Hurry, danger approaches!"

Kimiko slipped into the room, shutting it over as quietly as she could. She quickly grabbed the iron bars again, pulling herself up to speak to Nicholas who was hovering outside the cell door. "Are you coming in?"

Startled, Nicholas blinked rapidly, looking around uncomfortably. "He looks seriously injured. I shall have tae inform the gecko that his assistance in moving him will be required. Do ye think ye'd be able to carry him a short distance?"

Kimiko glanced over her shoulder to the prisoner behind her. Unlike Nicholas who could see as perfect as day in the dark, she could not, so had no idea of the prisoners condition, nor how heavy he looked. For all she knew he could be too heavy for her to carry or even drag! Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice. She'd came all this way and wasn't leaving without him!

"I should be able to, but I might not need to if I can wake him up."

"Very well, lassie. If ye look tae the torches on the cave walls ye will notice they are inscribed with emblems. Follow the ones marked with the Kio fish and it shall lead outside to a near by lake. I'll get the gecko and there we shall wait fir ye. Its a shorter, safer journey than the one we jist took."

Nicholas bowed his head, flapped his wings and glided down the corridor and out of sight, not giving Kimiko a second to ask how he knew that. Kimiko watched him go with suspicious eyes. He seemed a little _too_ keen to get out of here. Did he know something she didn't? She pushed the thought aside for now, if the crow wasn't as trustworthy as she thought then it was too late now.

Once she was certain no guards were coming, she turned around, summoning her flames to her fingertips and alighting the small cell in a deep, orange hue.

What she saw sent her reeling backwards into the wall with a horrified gasp. Her heart throbbed painfully in panic, a shriek caught in her throat.

_No way… it can't be you… not you of all people!_

Despite his head hanging low, his face hidden behind waves of black, greenish hair, there was no mistaking who the individual before her was. Shackled to the wall by thick, iron restraints that ensnared his wrists and ankles, hung the person whose golden eyes had haunted her in her slumbering moments for five years since she last saw him. The person who had played a major role in taking over the world, who had brought about the fall of good, stolen her friends, her father and her home away from her, and very nearly succeeded in ending her life without a shred of remorse.

The Prince of Darkness himself… Chase Young.

_The crow… that damned crow sent me to free Chase Young!_

She highly suspected now that her new little 'friend' had to be one of the fallen warriors that served Chase. Images of a familiar crow sitting on Chase's shoulder flickered in her mind. A crow that would soar the skies high above her and her fellow monks, reporting back all it saw to its master. It had been Chase's eyes. His right hand man. His faithful spy. And she had let him play her like a fool.

_I am such an idiot! I should have realised!_

Kimiko bit back the small swell of betrayal she felt towards the creature.

_No wonder the little vulture was so eager to get out of here!_

Nicholas's survival instincts were obviously well tuned. Had he been here when she discovered just who it was he had sent her to free she would have strangled him.

_Just wait till I get my hands on you, you little traitor!_

A small groan dragged her from her thoughts on how exactly to go about stuffing a crow, back to the problem dangling on the wall. Now that the initial shock had worn off, a soft, wincing gasp escaped her as she saw that Nicholas hadn't been lying when he had said the prisoner was injured.

Chase lacked his usual armour, instead his muscular chest was bare, the only piece of clothing on him being a pair of black trousers that were tattered and torn. Shadows danced grimly across his wound stricken flesh. There was a series of nasty looking cuts, various degrees of bruising, scratches, slices and gouges branding his skin.

Unconsciously, Kimiko moved towards him, her hand rising to Chase's forehead, gently pushing aside his limp tresses of hair.

Now she could make out his face, she could see just how terrible he looked. His handsome features were now obscured by an onslaught of barbarous assaults. His thin pale lips were swollen, a nasty fresh bruise on his right cheek, and a painful looking set of scratches on his left. Kimiko winced at the cruelty that had been inflicted upon him. He had to have been tortured, on many occasions if the older, crusty, partially healed over wounds were anything to go by.

"Who did this to you?" Kimiko whispered, all thoughts of dismembering her fine feathered friend completely forgotten.

She guessed this had to be Hannibal and Wuya's dirty work; they were the only ones capable of taking him down now. They certainly hadn't held anything back. The pure contempt they held for Chase could be seen as clear as day in the passionate display of wounds scarring him.

It seemed to be that the big bad three's friendship - if one could rightly call it that - was final over. She was surprised it had lasted as long as it had, considering there was so much bad blood between the trio. Hannibal would never let go of his desire for vengeance so easily. Chase's betrayal to him fifteen hundred years ago had led to him being incarcerated in the Ying Yang world for centuries. Wuya wasn't too fond of Chase either, a deep seeded hated for him having sprouted and flourish after the way he had treated her as maid for all those years, and limiting her power. Chase past betrayals of his fellow Heylin had finally caught up with him, and they hadn't held back in the slightest.

"And to think you questioned my loyalty all those years ago?" Kimiko whispered, shaking her head.

He had never shown even a flicker of loyalty to anyone other than himself. He had betrayed the Xiaolin fifteen hundred years ago for power. Turned on his teacher Grand Master Dashi, using all the skills and lessons entrusted to him to use for good, and instead using them for his own selfish desires. He had back stabbed his best friend Master Monk Guan out of spiteful envy. Double crossed Hannibal Roy Bean out of greed and a need for control. In the time Kimiko had known him he had had continuously turned his back on his fellow Heylin, allying with them for as long as he saw them as useful before casting them aside as though they were nothing more than mere pones. Dashi only knows how many others he had betrayed in his long life.

Did he really think that all that backstabbing wouldn't have consequences later on down the line? Or was he so enthralled with his own superiority complex that he didn't think anyone would ever be able to get the upper hand on him and extract revenge?

Kimiko took a few steps back, taking in the full sight of the once proud warrior, now chained and beaten.

_Oh, how the mighty have fallen,_ Kimiko drawled darkly.

A sickening part of her took a twisted delight in seeing him suffer like this. She hadn't a speck of pity to give to him. And why should she? He had shown none to her or her friends. All the torment that had been inflicted upon him was nothing more than Karma finally seeking retribution for all his ill deeds - and what a long list that was. After everything he had done, he was finally getting his comeuppance.

He had taken the world by force, built it anew in his and his fellow Heylin's malicious vision of how it should be, drained it of all the colours, the joy, love and hope, leaving it dark and devoid of the things that mattered most. Families, friends and loved ones had been torn apart. People had lost their homes, livelihoods, cultures and way of life. In order to survive in such a cruel world people had allowed their hearts to turn to stone. It was every man for themselves. The weak and vulnerable were left to fend for themselves. There was no compassion. No kindness. No one could afford it.

The once beautiful lands with their endless green fields, forest clad mountains, rivers, streams and waterfalls bursting with life were gone. They were destroyed; replaced by a barren wasteland of despair. Barely anything could grow from the ash and rumble, the land having lost its life. So many unique and breath taking landscapes utterly decimated, their wildlife devastated as a result.

So much pain, loss and destruction.

And it was _all_... _his... fault!_

Every mark on his body that his torturers had given him was a mark well earned.

_You deserve everything that is happenings to you,_ a cold, feverish voice, like a distorted echo of her own, whispered darkly in her mind.

Every sin he had committed against her personally only fuelled her angry resolve. He'd destroyed her world, her homes, her life! He'd taken everything that was important away from her; her friends and family, denied her a full education, prevented her living out the life she had planned. He had mocked and insulted her, branded her a coward and a traitor, had questioned her honour and integrity as a warrior. Then he had tried to kill her... and had very nearly succeed.

Kimiko glared at the Heylin warrior, a light steam hissing from her tightened fists.

For a moment she simply stood there, savouring how the tables had turned. She was now the one in power. He was at her mercy, his life hung on her whim just as hers had been at his all those years ago. It was a shame for Chase that just like him... she had no intention of showing mercy.

If Nicholas thought her good nature would win over and she'd free Chase out of pity, then he was wrong. She didn't care what happened to him. He was reaping what he had sowed.

Without a flicker of remorse, Kimiko did something that five years ago would have made her recoil in disgust and shame. She turned away, and began to walk away, walk away from someone who needed her help, from someone who was suffering. But he didn't deserve it. He had done nothing to earn her pity and never would.

Kimiko reached for the handle of the prison door. Just as she went to open it she stopped, her heart swelling painfully in her chest. She glanced behind her, an angry puff of air leaving her.

_No! This isn't right!_ A small part of her that was buried deep beneath all her pain and torment, pleaded. _This isn't justice! Nor is it the way of The Xiaolin! Compassion is our way of life!_

Kimiko's grip on the handle tightened, her eyes clenching shut as she fought with her resolve.

_No,_ she grit out angrily to herself. _He doesn't deserve help! Especially not from me! Not after everything he's done!_

Memories of what he had done flashed through her mind in vibrant bursts. She remembered many of their memorable encounters fighting for Shen Gong Wu. Chase standing there in the entrance to his lair with an evil grin as he snapped his fingers, turning Omi into a jungle cat. Chase smirking, lined up alongside his fellow Heylin, flames dancing in their eyes as they watched with wicked delight as The Xiaolin Temple burned to the ground, her friends on their knees, beaten and bruised, watching in despair.

One memory rung louder and clearer in her head.

_"Let... me… go!" Kimiko choked out, trying futilely to unclench his hands from her throat._

_"Now Kimiko," Chase smiled slyly, tilting his head as he examined her. "Try not to fall for me."_

_Then, with one last smirk, he sealed her fate._

_With a mighty heave he sent her shattering through the window of the fortieth floor._

_Pain shot through Kimiko as her back impacted the glass. Shards of glass sliced into her skin, causing her to cry out in pain as blood splashed through the air. Her pain only got worse as the sensation of falling over came her._

_As Kimiko plummeted down towards her soon to be watery grave at the bottom of the raging Sumida River, she managed one last glance to the fortieth floor of her father's building. Chase was louring on the edge of the broken window, his long raven like hair, with its glint of green, blowing behind him. He waved to her, then turned to leave, not even bothering to watch as she fell to her demise. Treating her death as nothing more than insignificant to his precious time._

_Oh how she hated him!_

_With a one finally breath of resignation, Kimiko clenched her eyes shut._

Kimiko's eyes snapped open, her resolve set.

_Let him suffer._

With a quick wave of her hand the torches flames extinguished. She was about to open the door when a voice from behind froze her in place, jolting her heart.

"Visiting hours already? And here I thought I'd lost that privilege."

Even though it sounded like he was having difficulty to speak, his voice strained from the pain of his wounds, and raspy perhaps from not having spoken in a long time - she doubted that he had many visitors to speak too - she could still hear the lingering smugness in his voice, the little hint of the ever present smirk.

"And to who might I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Kimiko quickly side stepped away from the door, hiding in the shadows of the cell. The cell was still very dark and dull, but there was just enough light from the flames in the corridor coming in through the bars to illuminate the cell a fraction. She could just make out the shape of the Heylin warrior struggling to lift his head to see who had entered his cell. As her eyes adjusted, his image became a bit more clearer so she could make out some of his features. Those frightful golden eyes were just how she remembered, almost seeming to glow in the darkness.

"What's the matter?" Chase taunted, "Too afraid to show yourself?"

"You're hardly a sight to be afraid of," Kimiko whispered, surprised that she had replied.

The air went still. After a moments pause Chase responded. "Who are you?"

_He doesn't recognise my voice,_ Kimiko thought in relief, and truth be told, a little amusement. It had been years since he had last seen her, let alone hear her. Over the years as she had grown her voice had matured, its higher pitch being replaced with a softer, gentler quality.

Since she was here she might as well fish around for some information. Anything she could learn, no matter how little, could help her in her fight against The Heylin. Besides, she was curious how the big bad Chase met his downfall.

"Why are you locked up in here? I was under the impression that The Heylin were _one big happy family_ ," Kimiko asked, crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall.

Chase let out a hollow chuckle. "Far from it. The Heylin's loyalties lie only to themselves."

"Ah, the loyalty of the Heylin, eh?" Kimiko shrugged, smiling mirthlessly. She couldn't help the snide jab. Questioning her loyalty five years ago had ridden her with guilt and countless sleepless nights, wondering what her friends, who were no doubt suffering, thought of her. _Coward! Deserter! Traitor!_ "Surely you saw this coming then? The Heylin are quite infamous for their short lived alliances."

"Indeed they are. They merely beat me to that particular punch line."

Oh how fickle friendships and alliances were on the dark side. It was hard to believe that anyone on the Heylin side dared to even consider teaming up with one another with how much backstabbing went on.

"How long have you been down here for?"

"Endeavour my questions and I may answer yours," Chase said, the roughness in his voice slowly fading as he became more acquainted with his voice again. "Who are you? Despite your dress sense your words earlier suggest you are not Heylin, so you are not one of Hannibal or Wuya's lackeys."

_Dress sense? Wait... He can see me even in this darkness!_

Suddenly the darkness which at first had offered her some comfort, hiding her away from Chase's prying, calculative eyes, was now a hindrance. There was no point cloaking herself in shadows when Chase could still see and read her body language. She'd be better lighting up the cell so she could have that advantage of being able to - or at least try to -judge his body language and facial expressions as well.

"Who I am is of little importance."

"If you are of little importance then so are your questions," Chase replied.

Kimiko resisted the urge to set his mane of hair on fire. It would be fun to see how quickly that would have wiped the smirk off his face.

_Unbelievable,_ Kimiko scoffed, _still so high and mighty even under his circumstances. Some things never change._

Kimiko walked over to the torch, turning her back to Chase as she pretended to reach into her pocket to retrieve something. She went on her toes to reach the torch, acting out the movements of lighting a match when in reality she was merely conjuring her flames to light up the torch. Blatantly lighting it up with her powers would be a dead give away as to her real identity. It was better that Chase remained in the dark of her survival.

"You're hardly in a position to be demanding answers," Kimiko retorted dryly, turning to face him as she placed her hands on her hips.

The sound of thundering footsteps echoed loudly down the corridor and into the cell, alerting Kimiko to the incoming presence of Heylin henchmen. Cursing under her breath, Kimiko quickly darting backwards into the lingering darkness in the corner.

As the guards, two bulky rock minions, staggered closer to the cell, Kimiko held her breath, pressing herself up against the wall as much as she could. Her body tensed. Carefully, she readied her hands to retrieve her bo staff tucked into her belt, should worse come to worse and she needed to defend herself. She saw the monstrous rock formations through the gaps in the bar at the top of the prison door, it's green eyes glowing brightly. Her heart beat faster, her fingers twitching as they prepared to grab her weapon. The monsters seemed to be chatting away through a series of rumbles and grumbles. Absentmindedly, Kimiko wondered what they were talking about.

At the corner of her eye she saw Chase tilt his head, his golden eyes intently watching the shadow where she was hidden.

Once the monsters passed the cell, one of them looked in through the iron bars to check on the prisoner. Chase scowled at the creature, which grunted in laughter. In between its massive fingers it dangled what appeared to be the spare keys to the prison door. Tauntingly, it jingled them loudly in front of the bars. The creatures shoulders began shaking as its belly rumbled in laughter. With one last glance, it stomped off with its companion, both bellowing loudly.

With their departure, Kimiko felt herself relax somewhat, a rush of relief flooding through her.

"Neither are you, so it seems," Chase mused. "So who are you? One of the rebels?"

_Rebels?_ Kimiko tried to hide her surprise, keeping face as passive as she could.

It didn't surprise her that there were people out there who didn't agree with The Heylin's rule. What did surprise her was that they had actually formed rebel groups to try and rebel against The Heylin. She hadn't heard any whispers of such groups in any of the villages or settlements in Japan. Jack Spicer's propaganda media hadn't even made any mention of them, not even issuing any warning or threats to the groups, or anyone considering joining them.

It seemed The Heylin were keeping this all under tight wraps. Better to allow the public to remain unaware that people were joining forces to take back their world. If people thought no one else was fighting back, they were more likely to conform to The Heylin's will, not wanting to be the only daring to wage a war against such formidable opponents. Not that they could on their own. That would be suicide.

"Maybe I am a Heylin and I'm just painful aware of how fragile their loyalty is," Kimiko offered, checking to make sure the guards were definitely gone.

"Perhaps, but that still begs the question; what are you doing here? Wuya and Hannibal have never allowed anyone that they can't fully control to come up here without supervision."

"Idle curiosity," Kimiko replied as dryly as she could. "Obviously a mistake, so I'll be taking my leave now."

The moment she saw who is was in the cell she should have left. She shouldn't have stayed a second longer than what was necessary. She definitely shouldn't have actually spoken to Chase! What had she been thinking? Now he was asking questions that she didn't have answers to. She couldn't think of any legit reasons why Wuya's or Hannibal's henchmen would come up here into the cell empty handed, without food or water. Wuya and Hannibal certainly wouldn't send anyone else up here to torture Chase, wanting to reserve that pleasure for themselves.

Chase had already suspected her of being a rebel. Even if his relationship with his other Heylin had soured he may be willing to call for the guards to come and capture her. One less rebel to deal with if he did escape - which he no doubt thought that he would.

"Leaving without saying whats on your mind?" Chase said lightly, quirking an eyebrow at her.

"What are you talking about?" Kimiko said with a scowl.

"You have something you want to say to me; I can tell. You can hide your face behind your hood but there is no hiding the burning rage in your voice or movements," Chase said, a sadistic smirk twitching at the corner of his lips.

"There's a lot I would like to say to you, Young," Kimiko hissed. There was also a lot she would like to do with him, none of which were more pleasant alternatives to his current situation. "But I'm not going to waste my time pouring my heart out to a sadistic swine like yourself who wouldn't give a damn!"

She could scream and curse at him. Let loose the eruption of emotions that had been building up for years. Try and make him feel guilty or show some speckle of emotion of regret for what he had done. But the infuriating part was… he truly didn't care. It didn't matter to him at all. _Not. One. Bit!_ The suffering of the world at his hands meant nothing to him. All that matter was him. And nothing she could do would ever change that.

He was evil.

Pure and simple.

"You're nothing, but a monster," Kimiko whispered venomously.

She had to leave. _Now!_ Being this close to him, hearing his sickening voice after all this time and remembering just how evil he was was driving her to the edge, She was furious: she could feel angry tears stinging in her eyes, her heart was thudding madly in her chest, and she could feel her elements wrathful fury urging her to let it out and seek vengeance on the man who had lead to the downfall of her brother elements.

If she didn't leave now... she was going to do something that might regret. Or maybe the real reason why she had to leave was because deep down... she didn't really know if she would regret it. And that was what truly terrified her.

"A monster I may be," Chase said, stopping her before she turned to leave. "However; I am not completely unreasonable."

Kimiko let out harsh laugh, crossing her arms, her fingers digging painfully into her arms. "Oh, really?"

"I don't think you are Heylin," Chase drawled, titling his head. "And I don't think you're a lackey or servant to either Wuya or Hannibal."

"Then who am I?" Kimiko asked, not daring to move an inch.

Turning to leave without answering his questions would be a sign of weakness. He'd know that she was nervous and eager to get out of there. With that he'd conclude she wasn't Heylin and then there was the threat that he'd call the guards.

"A rebel, I'd assume," Chase shrugged.

"If you think I'm a rebel then why haven't you called the guards?" Kimiko asked lightly, her hand slipping behind her back, reaching for her retractable bo staff.

One good, swift whack to his head should knock him out long enough for her to make her get away. Truthfully, it would also make her feel a little better, especially if it took more than one smack of her staff to K.O him.

"As I said I'm a reasonable man, and as you see I'm not quite in the most favourable of positions," Chase replied with a rattle of his chains. "So how about a little proposition? One that will be of benefit to us both."

_Said the spider to the fly..._

"Hmmm and why would I make a deal with you?" Kimiko drawled, pulling out her bo staff and extending it with a click of the button. She swirled it skilfully in her hand, not just for dramatic flare but to let Chase know that she knew exactly how to use it. "You're chained up. I'm not. You don't have anything that I need."

"If you free me then I can overthrow those two _nitwits_ that are currently parading themselves as rulers of this world," Chase explained, referring to Wuya and Hannibal with nothing but pure malice. "For your assistance you will be rewarded greatly. Gold. Jewellery. Money. Whatever it is that you wish."

"You can't buy me with material possessions. I wouldn't sell out humanity to you for all wonders of the world," Kimiko spat, disgusted at the very thought.

Chase gave her a bland look, not at all believing her nobleness. He quirked an eyebrow as he said, "then what is it that you want in return for your assistance?"

"Do you really think I'd let you out of those chains?" Kimiko asked, sounding mystified.

There was enough evil running rampant in the world without adding some like him back into the mix!

"What exactly is your purpose for being here then?" Chase asked, sounding exasperated.

"I guess you could say a little birdie sent me," Kimiko whispered, more so to herself.

A conniving, little, soon-to-be-dead birdie when she got her hands on it. The little lair had told her that the person locked in the cell could help her in her battle against Wuya, Hannibal and Chase Young if... if she _'played her cards right'_ Nicolas had said.

His words suddenly began to make sense.

From the way Chase Young was acting he didn't know that Nicholas had sent her. Being bound by loyalty of course Nicholas would have been trying to find a way to free his Master, stumbling across her was a stroke of luck that he had quickly taken advantage of, sending her to do it for him. But he surely would have known there was no way she would release him, not willingly. At least, not unless it helped in her quest to free the world. Which, if she played her cards right as Nicholas had said, it very well could do.

It was risky a gamble. She'd be entering a dangerous, high stakes game, one that she wasn't sure she was ready to play. But the world had already waited long enough for her to grow up. It was now or never.

"This 'little birdie' wouldn't happen to be have been a crow by any chance?" Chase asked curiously.

"How did you guess?"

"Why would my servant send you?" Chase said with a frown.

"He sent me here to free the prisoner locked inside Chase Young's dungeon," Kimiko replied dryly with a scowl. "Imagine my surprise when I find The Prince of Darkness himself, locked up in his own palace."

Kimiko lowered the hood, her dark tresses tumbling free, rolling down her shoulders to just above her waist. She put on a stony mask of indifference, concealing her emotions far better than the last time she had encountered Chase. He may be an excellent cold reader, but she was no longer a crystal clear sheet of glass for all to see through.

Chase narrowed eyes, and she could tell by the look in them that he recognised her. But from the frown of confusion in his face and his knitted brows, she knew that he couldn't quite figure out how he knew her. She smirked, enjoying watching him struggle to put the pieces together.

"I know you," He said quietly.

"No, you never knew me, Chase."

And that was the truth. He had always viewed her as insignificant, scarcely ever even acknowledging her presence or ever sharing but a few, bland words with her. His interest had always been on Omi, so he had always overlooked her, never bothering to spare a glance at her to learn anything about her. Years ago being looked at with such inferiority would have boiled her blood to the point where she would have done everything in her power to be noticed and seen as the worthy warrior that she was, but now she saw it as a hidden blessing. Chase's superiority complex and arrogance had worked in her favour. He didn't know her then, and he certainly didn't know her now.

"Though you like to think that you did."

She crossed her arms, leaning back against the door again, one foot planted on it. She put on a casual air, taking great delight in The Heylin's confusion.

"Guess I'm not as easy to read at first glance as you first believed. I warned you before, Chase. You really shouldn't assume things about me."

He had assumed she was weak.

He had assumed she was dead.

How gravely mistaken he was.

Chase's eyes widened, his mouth dropping open a fraction as the realisation sunk in. He looked completely stunned. It was a look she would forever treasure.

"Whats the matter, Chase? You look like you've seen a ghost," Kimiko smirked, her eyes gleaming challengingly.

The flicker of astonished surprise was gone in an instance. He then smirked, shaking his head.

"Well, well, well, you certainly are full of surprises, aren't you Little One? Though looking at you now, I hardly think I can still rightly call you that. How long has it been since we last had the... charming pleasure of being in one anothers company?"

He may have sounded charmingly pleasant, but there was no mistaking the dangerous edge to his words. He wasn't amused that she was still alive.

"Not long enough," Kimiko retorted, narrowing her eyes.

"Fair enough," Chase shrugged. "We didn't quite part ways in the most pleasant of manners."

"No, we didn't." And no matter how all this played out something told her that at the end of all this, their parting would again be an unpleasant experience. "Now, I'm going to make _you_ an offer that you can't refuse."

"I'm all ears. Not that I have many other options at this point."

Kimiko took a deep breath. _No going back now..._

"I'll free you on the condition that you and I work together to defeat Wuya and Hannibal."

Creating a dark alliance with Chase was riddled with danger, but it was her best option. She couldn't save the world on her own, she needed help. As much as she loathed the man she would have to force herself to put that hatred aside - well, she'd try anyway. Teaming up with Chase came with too many advantages for her to allow the opportunity to pass by: he could help her further advance her martial art skills, had inside detail on all The Heylin, was powerful enough to pose a serious threat to Wuya and Hannibal's power, and had a legion of warriors to help him. He may be a devious snake, but he certainly wasn't without his uses. She just had to remember that Chase was a double edged sword, and if she wasn't careful she may wind up on the wrong end of the sword.

"You and I want rid of those two for _very_ different reasons," Chase replied.

"That may be so; however, up until that point we have a mutual goal," Kimiko pointed out. "If we work together as a team we can get rid of them quicker and more efficiently. Once that happens then we part ways. We'll return to being enemies."

Chase pondered over the choice for a few moments, before a off putting smirk twitched on his lips. "Very well, Dragon of Fire. I accept your offer."

Kimiko walked closer to him, locking her blue orbs with his golden pools. "I want your word as a warrior, Chase. You won't betray me, and I wont betray you. We'll work as a team until we beat them."

"Very well. But once we return to our opposing sides I propose a showdown to settle the fate of the world once and for."

"Looking forward to it," Kimiko grit out.

Kimiko pulled out to long picks from her sleeve and began picking the lock on his left wrist. She tried to ignore how close his face was, focusing intently on the lock.

"And Dojo is off the menu!" Kimiko added with a hiss.

Chase quirked an eyebrow, smiling that sinisterly charming smile. "That overfed lizard is still alive? My, my, my. Do wonders never cease?"

"Swear it, Chase, or I swear I'll leave you here to rot," Kimiko threatened.

"Till our deal is complete, you have my word that I won't lay a finger on him."

With a nod Kimiko accepted this and continued picking the lock. The locks were much harder to pick than she had thought, but eventually she was able to free him from all his restraints. Once free, Chase began to fall, the chains having been the only thing supporting him. Kimiko shot forward, her hands pushing against his chest with all her might to prevent him from crashing to the ground. With a grunt, Kimiko managed to shove him against the wall, allowing him to use it for support.

Chase cursed under his breath, glaring down at his bruised body.

"I'll have to make sure to pay Wuya and Hannibal back ten fold for their hospitable hospitality," he gritted out, letting out a sharp hiss as his wounds began throbbing painfully.

_He's a lot weaker than I thought he'd be,_ Kimiko thought warily. _How am I going to get him out of here?_

"Do you think you'll be able to walk?" Kimiko asked.

"Not quite as eloquently as normally, but I should be able to," Chase admitted, rubbing his red raw wrists.

Kimiko nodded and went to open the door, discreetly checking to make sure no one was coming. She returned to Chase and let out a huff of irritation. There was no escaping it, she was going to have to help him walk, which meant skin to skin contact.

_This day just keeps getting better and better._

"Give me your arm."

Chase raised an eyebrow.

"I need your arm, throw it over my shoulder and I'll try and support you as you walk," Kimiko said as she moved beside him.

Chase didn't look happy about requiring assistance. With an irritable mutter he complied, draping his arm over Kimiko's shoulder. With a heave Kimiko helped him from the wall and sluggishly they began limping towards the door. She glanced up at the torch across from the door, seeing a small Koi fish engraved into the stone; the fish was pointing down the left corridor.

"This way," Kimiko mumbled, biting back a groan as she supported Chase's weight. _He is way heavier than he looks, and this is him without the freaking armour!_

They continued down the dull, stone corridors, occasionally having to hide in the shadows and behind corners as they came across patrolling rock minions. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a large, stone door with an intricate engraving of a pond with large Koi fish in it.

"I take it this is where the lake is?" Kimiko asked.

When no reply came she turned to find Chase's head resting on her shoulders. His eyes were closed, his face contorted into a look of pain. He was panting heavily, wincing with every breath.

"Don't collapse on me now, we're almost there."

She moved over to the door, all but dragging Chase Young with her. She let out a surprised gasp when the door slide open on its own accord, with a prolonged rumble. The sight that greeted her put a thankful smile on her face.

"Dojo!"

The dragon was sitting coiled up next a glistening lake in his larger form. He glanced her way, a big grin breaking onto his face.

"Kimiko! You're alright! I was so worried eh-" Dojo's smiled shrunk, his eyes widening. He pointed a trembling talon her way. "I-Is that… is that w-who I think it is?"

Just before she could answer an orchestra of war horns, gongs and drums began to roar throughout the lair.

"Looks like they've noticed Chase has escaped. We need to go. Now!"

Dojo scooped Kimiko and her company up and gently placed them on his back before taking to the air. Kimiko sat just up at his mane with an unconscious Chase laying on his stomach, draped over Dojo. Kimiko winced, seeing more evidence of torture strewn across the flesh on his back. Many of the wounds looked badly infected. She was going to have to deal with those once they got to the temple, along with all his other injuries.

_Great,_ Kimiko growled. _I'm helping the guy who tried to kill me._ _Fate really has a funny sense of humour._

"Lady Kimiko, ye'll need tae hold onto him otherwise he might fall," Nicholas, who had been sitting anxiously on Dojo's back, instructed her.

" _You_ , have a lot of explaining to do, Mister," Kimiko growled, giving the crow a deadly glare.

Nicholas swallowed nervously, looking down at his feathers in shame.

Kimiko kept her hands on Chase's back, making sure to keep a tight hold of him as Dojo spiralled upwards, breaking through the clouds. Kimiko glanced behind Dojo, watching as Chase Young's palace disappeared from view.

"Well kiddo, looks like things just got a whole lot more interesting," Dojo called back to her.

"No kidding."


End file.
